Italy implements new COVID-19 restrictions

Starting from tomorrow the country will be divided into 3 zones - red, orange and yellow

A government decree signed on the night of 4 November by Italian Prime Minister Conte has laid out new rules and regulations for dealing with COVID-19 valid both for the entire territory of the country as well as ones that will apply at a regional level. The new rules come into effect tomorrow, 6 November and will be in force until 3 December 2020. This new differentiated approach divides Italy into 3 separate regions, depending on contagion risk.

What one can and can not do in the 3 zones

The most stringent rules are valid for the four red regions, where the virus circulates the most - Lombardy, Piedmont, Calabria, Valle D'Aosta. Less drastic ones are in force for the two in orange, where the risk is medium-high - Puglia and Sicily.

All the other Italian regions and the two autonomous provinces of Bolzano and Trento are considered yellow zones. There, the measures are mitigated, because the risk is moderate.

Red zone

• Any movement, even within one's own municipality, at any time is prohibited, except for reasons of work, emergency and health; movement from one region to another and from one municipality to another is prohibited.
• Bars and restaurants shut down. Take-away is allowed until 10 pm. There are no restrictions on home delivery.
• Closing of shops, except for supermarkets, food and necessities.
• Newsstands, tobacconists, pharmacies, laundries, hairdressers and barbers remain open. Beauty centres will be closed.
• Distance learning for second-grade secondary school, for second and third-grade classes. Therefore, only preschools, elementary schools and junior high schools remain open. Universities closed, with specific exceptions.
• All sporting competitions are suspended except those recognized as ones of national interest. Activities in sports centres will be suspended. It is allowed to carry out physical activity near one's home and sporting activities outdoors only in individual form.
• Museums and exhibitions, theatres, cinemas, gyms, arcade activities, betting places and bingo halls are closed. Public transport is allowed to operate only at 50% capacity. An exception is made for school transport.

Orange zone

• It is forbidden to move around from 10 pm to 5 am, unless proven reasons of work, emergency and health.
• Movement into and out of one region to another and from one municipality to another is prohibited, unless proven reasons for work, study, health or necessity. Recommendation to avoid unnecessary travel during the day within the municipality.
• Bars and restaurants are shut down. Take-away is allowed until 10 pm. There are no restrictions on home delivery.
• Closing of shopping centres on holidays and days before holidays with the exception of pharmacies, food, tobacconists and newsagents inside them.
• Closing of museums and exhibitions.
• Distance learning for high schools, except for students with disabilities and in case of use of laboratories; face-to-face teaching for kindergartens, elementary schools and middle schools. Universities closed, except for some activities for laboratories.
• Public transport is allowed to operate only at 50% capacity. An exception is made for school transport.
• Suspension of arcade, betting, bingo and slot machine activities.
• Swimming pools, gyms, theatres and cinemas remain closed. Sports centres remain open.

Yellow zone

• It is forbidden to move around from 10 pm to 5 am, unless proven reasons of work, emergency and health. Recommendation not to move except for reasons of health, work, study or situations of need.
• Closing of shopping centers on holidays and days before holidays with the exception of pharmacies, food places, tobacconists and newsagents inside them.
• Closing of museums and exhibitions.
• Distance learning for high schools, except for students with disabilities and in case of use of laboratories; face-to-face teaching for kindergartens, elementary schools and middle schools. Universities closed, except for some activities for laboratories.
• Public transport is allowed to operate only at 50% capacity. An exception is made for school transport.
• Suspension of arcade, betting, bingo and slot machine activities.
• Bars and restaurants close at 6 pm. Takeaway is allowed until 10 pm. There are no restrictions on home delivery.
• Swimming pools, gyms, theatres and cinemas remain closed. Sports centers remain open.